Electrospinning in a controlled gaseous environment
First Claim
1. A method for producing fibers, comprising:
- providing a substance from which the fibers are to be composed to a tip of an electrospinning element;
applying an electric field to the electrospinning element in a longitudinal direction of the electrospinning element;
controlling a gaseous environment about where the fibers are to be electrospun by introduction of a gaseous substance into a shroud extending from an interior wall of a chamber enclosing the electrospinning element, said shroud partially enclosing the electrospinning element; and
electrospinning the substance from the tip of the electrospinning element by an electric field extraction of the substance from the tip into the controlled gaseous environment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and method for producing fibrous materials in which the apparatus includes an extrusion element configured to electrospin a substance from which the fibers are to be composed by an electric field extraction of the substance from a tip of the extrusion element, a collector disposed from the extrusion element and configured to collect the fibers, a chamber enclosing the collector and the extrusion element, and a control mechanism configured to control a gaseous environment in which the fibers are to be electrospun. The method includes providing a substance from which the fibers are to be composed to a tip of an extrusion element, applying an electric field to the extrusion element in a direction of the tip, controlling a gaseous environment about where the fibers are to be electrospun, and electrospinning the substance from the tip of the extrusion element by an electric field extraction of the substance from the tip into the controlled gaseous environment.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for producing fibers, comprising:
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providing a substance from which the fibers are to be composed to a tip of an electrospinning element; applying an electric field to the electrospinning element in a longitudinal direction of the electrospinning element; controlling a gaseous environment about where the fibers are to be electrospun by introduction of a gaseous substance into a shroud extending from an interior wall of a chamber enclosing the electrospinning element, said shroud partially enclosing the electrospinning element; and electrospinning the substance from the tip of the electrospinning element by an electric field extraction of the substance from the tip into the controlled gaseous environment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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18. A method for producing fibers, comprising:
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providing a substance from which the fibers are to be composed to a tip of an electrospinning element; applying an electric field to the electrospinning element in a longitudinal direction of the electrospining element; controlling a gaseous environment about where the fibers are to be electrospun to retard a solidification rate of the fibers by introduction of an organic solvent into the gaseous environment; and electrospinning the substance from the tip of the electrospinning element by an electric field extraction of the substance from the tip into the controlled gaseous environment.
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19. A method for producing fibers, comprising:
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providing a substance from which the fibers are to be composed to a tip of an electrospinning element, said substance including a polymer dissolved in a solvent and said provision of the solvent to the tip providing a first source for introduction of the solvent into an electrospinning environment; applying an electric field to the electrospinning element in a longitudinal direction of the electrospining element; controlling the electrospinning environment about where the fibers are to be electrospun by introducing a vapor of the solvent into the electrospinning environment from a liquid pool in the electrospinning environment and thereby providing a second source for introduction of the solvent into the electrospinning environment; and electrospinning the substance from the tip of the eleetrospinning element by an electric field extraction of the substance from the tip into the controlled electrospinning environment. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification